By: William Robinson
It’s that time of year again where hope springs eternal. Major League Baseball season is getting ready to start and it’s time for my annual predictions. Let me say this up front, I did pick the World Series champion last year. So I’m hoping to go for two years in a row. So hold onto your seats cause I’m about to drive on in.
Let’s start with the National League East. Here is my prediction for the final records of each team in the east.
New York Mets 93-69
Washington Nationals 87-75
Atlanta Braves 83-79
Miami Marlins 75-87
Philadelphia Phillies 73-89
As you can see from the above I’m not going to get onto the Nationals band wagon this year. I personally hate the moves they made this offseason as they paid way too much for the very mediocre Adam Eaton when they could have had Andrew McCutchen instead. I do like some of the cost saving moves they made later on by adding Adam Lind but I feel like this team just doesn’t know how to win, and that’s going to cost them. I like the Mets to be better this year than last year and I like the Braves to be a scrappy team that is able to come in above the .500 mark.
In the National League Central
Chicago Cubs 98-64
Pittsburgh Pirates 86-76
St. Louis Cardinals 81-81
Milwaukee Brewers 72-90
Cincinnati Reds 70-92
The Cubs are going to be wonderful this year. They haven’t lost much from last season other than Dexter Fowler and the division is still fairly weak compared to others. I think the Pirates are going to rebound. I see McCutchen having a stronger year and when he plays well they play well. I think the injuries are going to be too much for the Cardinals to overcome and the Brewers and Reds are going to be playing a lot of really young players all year long.
In the National League West
San Francisco Giants 91-71
Los Angeles Dodgers 89-73
Arizona Diamondbacks 77-85
Colorado Rockies 75-87
San Diego Padres 65-97
As you can see above I expect the Dodgers to take a step backwards and the Giants to take a step forwards. I love the Giants pitching staff. LOVE IT! I think they are going to be a beast come the post season and the only thing holding that team back may be their offense. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Dodgers though make a move at the trade deadline and go out and get someone. The Diamondbacks surely can’t have as bad of luck as last year but they just may not have enough pitching to make the post season. The Rockies are going to be my let down team of the year and be much worse than what everyone expects.
In the American League East
Boston Red Sox 94-68
New York Yankees 87-75
Toronto Blue Jays 81-81
Baltimore Orioles 76-86
Tampa Bay Rays 72-90
The Red Sox got immediately better this offseason. Now whether or not David Price is healthy can play a bit of a role in how badly they win this division but I think they do win this division comfortably. I also like the Yankees to rebound this year. I think they have a lot of young talented players and it wouldn’t surprise me if they went out and got someone near the trade deadline either that could help this team. I think the Blue Jays and Orioles take steps backwards this year as they have lost some pieces over the offseason and there is absolutely nothing for me to get excited about in Tampa on the Rays.
In the American League Central
Cleveland Indians 102-60
Detroit Tigers 90-72
Kansas City Royals 75-87
Minnesota Twins 73-89
Chicago White Sox 73-89
In the Central the Indians are going to be loaded, not only did they go out and get Edwin Encarnacion this offseason, they also have returning healthy players that they were missing last offseason. I think they are going to dominate the regular season and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them win the World Series (more on that later). I like the Tigers too. I think they are bringing the band back together and they all realize that this is the last ride for this team and their talent is better than another team for which it’s the last ride for; the Royals. I predict this to be the most painful season in the history of this franchise. It started with Yordano Ventura’s death and at the trade deadline it’ll see Hosmer, Cain and Moustakis going to other teams. The Twins and the White Sox are going to be more fun to watch this season with their youth and it wouldn’t surprise me to see one of them be better than what I’ve listed here.
In the American League West
Seattle Mariners 95-67
Houston Astros 89-73
Texas Rangers 86-76
Anaheim Angels 75-87
Oakland Athletics 62-100
I love the Mariners this year. I really do. I think the moves they made in the offseason are going to pay out major dividends this year to their fans. I also like the Astros and the Rangers to be good this year too. Now probably someone is going to get hurt and one of these three teams falters, but right now I love them. The Angels will be disappointing again as they have the Allen Iverson (a guy who gets his points but never wins) of MLB in Mike Trout. The Athletics are sadness personified in a team.
Playoff Recap
NL:
- Chicago Cubs
- New York Mets
- San Francisco Giants
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Washington Nationals
In the NL this is how I see it going down. The Nationals and the Dodgers play in the play in game and the Dodgers win out in that one. Then the Dodgers move on to face the Cubs and the Giants and Mets face off in the greatest pitching series that has ever been shown. I see the Cubs beating the Dodgers in 6 games and the Mets beating the Giants in 7. I then see the Mets beating the Cubs in 7 games and heading on to the World Series.
In the AL:
- Cleveland Indians
- Seattle Mariners
- Boston Red Sox
- Detroit Tigers
- Houston Astros
In the AL I see it going down like this.
The Tigers beat the Astros in the play in game. Then the Indians play them and beat them in 7. The Seattle Mariners face off against the Red Sox and win that series in 7 games as well. Leading the Indians to face off against the Mariners and the Indians beat them in 7 games.
Leaving the World Series to be the Mets vs Indians.
Indians win in 7
Awards Predictions
NL MVP: Buster Posey
NL ROY: Dansby Swanson
NL Cy Young: Noah Syndergaard
AL MVP: Robinson Cano
AL ROY: Yoan Moncada
AL CY Young: Justin Verlander